Is he Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump? Protest vote complicates Graham Platner’s victory

Graham Platner, a marine veteran and oyster farmer, has secured the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Maine, a victory notably boosted by an endorsement from author Stephen King. However, the path to the general election against Republican incumbent Susan Collins is fraught with internal party conflict.

More than 100,000 Democrats supported Platner, but a significant protest vote went to his former rival Janet Mills, who had withdrawn from the race. This substantial minority vote, nearly one in five, signals deep unease within the party about Platner's suitability.

Platner has been dogged by a series of scandals, including old Reddit posts, a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, and sexually explicit messages. A former girlfriend also accused him of being physically intimidating. These controversies have forced Democrats to confront difficult questions about their party's values.

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If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change.

While Platner's supporters argue the Nazi-like tattoo was acquired during a drunken night and has since been covered, and that his accuser was a Republican operative, the party's stance on white supremacy and antisemitism is being tested. Similarly, the party's commitment to the #MeToo movement and its condemnation of Donald Trump are being weighed against Platner's past behavior, for which he has apologized, citing struggles with PTSD and depression.

"If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change," Platner told supporters. This nuanced position is echoed by figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who acknowledged the "challenging" nature of Platner's behavior but stated the need to weigh it against Senator Collins' record on healthcare. The situation highlights a tension between the party's progressive ideals and the pragmatic realities of electoral politics.

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Obviously there’s a lot in that behaviour that’s really challenging – it’s hard to stomach. But, at the end of the day … if the choice on the ballot is between that and a senator [Collins] who’s voted to take healthcare away from millions of Americans, that’s the situation that we have to weigh.